ABSTRACT

Marking the passage of time is innate to humans. It is nearly impossible to ignore the recurring cycle of the sun and moon marking the passing of days and seasons and one cannot help but notice how quickly the days, months, and years pass. In some ways, time reckoning is an abstract and artificial concept that humankind has imposed on the natural progression of time. On the other hand, Mother Nature’s clock is predictably precise; comprised of seasons, months, and days. Although precise and predictable, humankind nevertheless imposed further subdivisions, developing clocks and calendars as urban life progressed. This chapter will discuss astronomy and astrology, the development of calendars and clocks, and the reasons for timekeeping.